Panasonic World

Developing the News Reporters of Tomorrow: Panasonic and Kids Witness News

Ever since Panasonic was established, its basic management philosophy has been about "making a contribution to society through business as a public entity of society." This belief is the point of origin for all its business activities. Implementing this management philosophy, which is focused essentially on customers and the rest of society, forms the basis of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. One example of how Panasonic aims to use its technologies to provide both excitement and learning experiences to schools is through its "Kids Witness News" initiative.

Kids Witness News (KWN) is a hands-on video education program created to encourage students to develop valuable cognitive, communication and organizational skills through the use of Panasonic digital video and broadcast technology. Panasonic first developed the program in the United States in 1989 with a global expansion in 2003 reaching out to more than 70,000 children around the world.

There are currently over 500 schools in 21 countries participating in the program and more than 80,000 children have experienced the fun and challenge of video making. Participating countries now include the United States, Canada, Brazil, Peru, Germany, the UK, Spain, Italy, Poland, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, New Zealand, Vietnam, China and Japan.

This unique program provides elementary through high schools with an array of digital video technology and offers participants the opportunity to develop their interests, abilities and creativity through the production of videos. KWN encourages students to identify issues that are important to them and create a short film as a means of expression. Under teacher supervision, students then research, write, act in, produce, direct and edit a variety of five minute videos which bring to life subjects they are have chosen. The students' videos feature current events, news reports, public service announcements and interviews with prominent individuals, as well as many other topics which are relevant to today's youth, such as Drama, Documentary, Health, Science and Technology, News & current affairs, Public service announcement, Comedy, Sport, Art, Music, Animation, and Entertainment.

Their creative works are entered into the annual Kids Witness News New Vision Video Award Ceremony after thorough screening by Graduate Film students from Colombia University School of the Arts Film Division and an independent panel of judges.

Panasonic invites winners from around the world to a weekend of activities in the New York City area to celebrate their accomplishments in videography, and to receive their honors at the prestigious KWN New Vision Awards Ceremony. In 2007 the Ngatea Primary School from New Zealand was named the winner of the International Best Video, from a pool of entries from around 300 schools in 18 countries. A video made by Jere Baxter Middle School of Nashville, Tennessee, won Best Film of Year, also winning the most popular video award in the program's first-ever public online vote.

To find out more, please click here to visit the Kids Witness News Global Panasonic site.